This invention relates generally to the art of locks and more particularly to the art of securing vending machines against thefts therefrom.
Thefts from vending machines have presented significant problems to vendors for many years. This problem has been particularly severe with beverage vending machines and even more severe with such beverage vending machines when they are located in an unattended environment loss due to theft as well as the repair of the machine itself. Such losses frequently represent the major expense associated with such vending enterprise. These thefts involve not only the removal of money from coin operated machines but also removal of merchandise and structural damage to the machines itself.
In the past such vending machine have relied upon a conventional cylindrical barrel lock to lock the door structure to the internal structure of the machine itself. Such conventional structures have required only the use of a crowbar or other leveraging means to pry open the door structure. Attemps to overcome these shortcomings have comprised placement of the vending machines within cells formed of steel bars so as to provide hand access only through openings provided. Other attempts have comprised placement of padlocks along the sides of the machines in addition to the conventional cylindrical barrel lock. Such attemps however have resulted in vending machines which are more difficult to pilfer but which are still vulnerable to attack by means of hacksaws, bolt cutters or sledgehammers with the breaking in operation requiring only a short period of time.